Redeeming the Time
by WritePassion
Summary: As Sam and Yvette begin the process to adopt Esperanza, they find that it may not be as easy as they thought. Mike and Fi have their own challenges in preparing for a wedding.
1. Chapter 1

Another idea popped into my head, so here we go on another Sam/Yvette adventure!

**Redeeming the Time**

By WritePassion

"Daddy, will you help me?"

"Sure, Espie. What do you need help with?"

"My math. I don't get it."

Sam smiled as he glanced over Espie's shoulder and scanned the page. After Sam and Yvette scaled the language barrier with their foster daughter, she thrived and soaked up knowledge like a sponge. They found some homeschooling resources in the Miami area, stocked up, and Yvette spent her days alternating between giving little Samuel individual attention and teaching Esperanza. The aim was to get her ready for second grade when next September rolled around, and it appeared that they were well on track. Whenever Sam wasn't working, he took over playing teacher. Espie seemed to respond better to him, and when he worked with her, his ability to pick up on her strengths allowed him to challenge her to overcome her weaknesses.

Math was not one of those strengths and was proving to be one weakness in which she was stubborn to progress. She sat at the dining room table with her head leaning on her right fist, her pencil in a death grip in her left hand, and her bottom lip taking a beating from being clenched between her teeth.

"I don't understand."

"Okay, let's take a look at this first problem. Just focus on it and nothing else, okay?" He took two sheets of paper and covered the rest of the equations on the page. "Now you've got a one and you have to add it to a four." He reached for the centerpiece, a bowl filled with glass weights shaped like flat stones that anchored a fake orchid plant. He grabbed a handful. "Okay, here's one." He set it on the table before her. "And here are four." He lay them in a line not far from the one. "So we take one..." He used an index finger to push it next to the single piece, "Two...three...four..."

"Five!" Espie exclaimed happily and clapped her hands.

"Yeah, five. Does that make more sense?" She nodded. "Now, write that down, and we'll go to the next one. We'll use these for a few of them, but then I want you to think about it without visuals. Put the picture in your head. Got it?" Her head bobbed and he smiled and hugged her. "Okay, I want you to do the next three by yourself with these stones, and I'll be right here watching. Then I want you to do the right side of the page without them."

"Okay." She glanced up at him briefly before working on the assignment.

As Sam watched, fighting with himself to not help her, pride swelled up inside of him. She was his smart little girl. Although she wasn't his flesh and blood, Esperanza and Sam had a lot in common. She favored her left hand in just about everything she did, she was a visual learner, and she liked to work with her hands, just like him.

"I'm done, Daddy."

"Alright, let's see what we've got." He quickly scanned her work. "Good job, Espie. Every one is correct! Now, I want you to fly solo on these." He uncovered the right side of the page that contained five more equations.

"Solo?'

"That means alone, no stones to count out and move around. No daddy to help you." He grinned. "I know you're smart enough, you can do it." He kissed the side of her face and got out of his chair. "I'll give you a few minutes, and I'll grab us a treat, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy!" She grinned at him and bent to her task.

At the door to the kitchen, he turned back, grabbed the glass stones and put them back into the bowl. "I'll know if you dig in there for help, kiddo, so don't even try it!" His words were stern, but the look on his face let her know he loved her. She needed that confirmation every day. Although she seemed happy and well-adjusted, sometimes a dark cloud passed over her features and she was less confident in herself. Those were the days he worked extra hard to remind her that they cherished and loved her no matter what.

As Sam prepared a couple glasses of milk and a plate of cookies, he glanced out the kitchen window. Yvette was in the back yard with Samuel. He was trying to help his mommy dig holes, into which she planted flowers. He was getting dirt all over himself, but she persevered and worked with him until he got one right. Then she showed him how she put the plant into it and covered it with the dirt scattered around the hole. She moved on to the next planting, and behind her, Samuel started digging up the plant she just set.

Even through the closed window he could hear her cry, "Samuel, no!"

Sam laughed at his son's antics. He was glad he wasn't out there working with him, but he also had to give the kid credit for trying. Someone knocked on the screen door and his attention strayed. He saw a shadow moving on the floor as he approached the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Sam Axe?" The small Hispanic woman at the door asked.

"Yes. And you are..."

She smiled shyly. "My name is Angela Castro. I...I understand that you have my daughter Esperanza here. You're taking care of her."

On instant alert, Sam kept his composure. "I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding, Miss. Esperanza's parents are dead. The agency..."

"The agency lied to you. I'm her mother, and I can prove it. She has a scar on her hip. I should know, because it's my fault it's there." Sadness filled her eyes. "Mr. Axe, I'm sure the agency had a good reason to give you a false story. I was a drug addict, I was in prison..." She sighed heavily and leaned on the door frame. "I was a mess, but I've straightened out now, and I want my daughter back."

Unease set up residence in his gut. "I'm sorry, Miss Castro, but if this is true, you're gonna have to talk to the agency. We've already started the process to adopt Esperanza."

"No, you can't! She's mine, and I never gave up my rights to her!"

"Daddy?"

Sam turned and found Esperanza standing on the top step. "Espie, honey, it's nothing. Just go back and work on your math."

Angela said something in Spanish, and Esperanza stopped turning away. "Esperanza." She turned back, stepped down to the entrance and stared at the woman who stood at the door.

"Mama?"

"Si," Angela grinned and spoke to her. Her words came out fast, but Sam understood enough to not like what he was hearing. He pulled Esperanza up against himself and held onto her shoulders.

"Okay, that's enough. If you really are her mother, you'll have to contact the Department of Children's Services and talk to them. Now, I want you to leave."

"I have every right to see my child, Mr. Axe." She glared at him.

"No doubt under court sanction, with supervision. And you can bet either my wife or I will be there when it happens. Until then, I suggest you scoot on out of here, because I'm not afraid to protect my family by whatever means is necessary. Besides, Espie needs to get back to her studies." All the while he spoke, Sam gently pressed his hands into Esperanza's shoulders. Only over his dead body was this woman taking their child.

Anger shadowed her face. "Mr. Axe, you're going to be sorry. You're messing with the wrong people."

"Oh really? I only see you here." He glanced at the empty space around her.

"I have friends. Esperanza's father."

"If he's so supportive of you getting her back, then where is he right now? He should be here."

Angela shrugged and squirmed under his attention. "That's not important! He'll help me get her back. You just wait." Her features, which Sam could see had once been beautiful, were twisted in ugliness as she spoke. Then she turned her attention to Esperanza and her face softened, but it still bore the marks of addiction. She was still using. "Mi amore, I'll be back for you. I promise! I won't let these mean people keep you any longer!" She looked back up at Sam. "This isn't over."

"As far as I'm concerned, it is. Get off my property. Now."

Angela gave him one last threatening look, turned, and ran away from the door. Only when she was down the block heading toward Maddie's did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"Espie, I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Daddy, please don't make me go with her."

"Is she really your mother?"

She nodded. "But not anymore. Mommy's outside with Samuel."

Sam squatted down to her level, looking into his daughter's pleading eyes. "I promise, I will do everything I can to make sure that you stay with us." He picked her up and held her tightly to himself as she desperately wrapped her legs around him. Her body shook with sobs, and his heart broke for a little girl who was genuinely afraid of the woman who supposedly gave birth to her. He couldn't imagine how horrifying it had to be for Esperanza to see her again.

After a few minutes she settled down, and he sat her at the dining room table with the cookies and milk. He went over the math assignment as if nothing had ever happened, but inside, his stomach was in knots. He needed to find out more about this woman, if her claims were legitimate, and determine what they could do to make sure she never got her mitts on Esperanza. Ever.

"You did a great job, Espie. See, math isn't so bad once you understand it." He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Daddy, I like the number four." She doodled two stick figures side by side in the margin of her paper, added a smaller one, and then drew a figure with a happy face and a bow on her head. "See? Mommy, Daddy, Sammy and me. That's the best four there is."

Sam chuckled softly and held her close. "Yeah, I couldn't agree more."

Later that night, after he'd tucked Esperanza into bed, as he was leaving her room he noticed a drawing on her desktop. In the dim light from the lamp, he studied the picture of the four stick figures. Only this time, there were three others off to the right side. The corner of his mouth tipped up when he recognized that the figure with the pony tail and a rifle in one hand had to be Fiona with a big grin on her face. The other wore sunglasses and smiled. Michael. But what disturbed him was the figure lying flat, with red scribbling near it. The figure had long black hair and he had no doubt who it represented. Sam closed his eyes, and for the first time in his life, he regretted what he did for a living.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Yvette never asked about their strange visitor because she was unaware of the incident, and Sam never told her. He kept it to himself long enough to think about it. What bothered him most was that she knew where to find Esperanza. Did that Cortez woman aid her in finding the child? He lay in bed staring at the ceiling, wondering what she meant when she said he was messing with the wrong people. What sort of connections did she have? Was she part of a gang? Was Esperanza's father part of a gang? If she intended to instill fear in him, it didn't work. No matter what sort of teeth she had behind her threat, he had his friends. They'd dealt with guys worse than the local gang-bangers. He could count on one hand the times that they were unable to defeat their enemies.

Besides, there was something stronger on their side, and if it was meant for Esperanza to stay with them and be their daughter, nothing and no one could take her away.

"Sam, what's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong," he asked, trying to keep the tension out of his voice.

"It's 1a.m., you're breathing is tense, and you're wide awake. Something is on your mind."

"I was trying to be quiet."

Yvette shook her head and burrowed close to him. "You should know by now, it doesn't work. I have radar that knows when something's bothering you. So spill it."

"You're too good at reading me, Eve." He laughed nervously, paused, and told her about his chat with Esperanza's alleged mother. "I didn't want to worry you, because it's probably nothing. In the morning I'll call the agency and talk to Irina, and Melanie if I have to."

"Do you think Mrs. Cortez had something to do with her finding us?"

"I don't know. I suspect so, but I can't say for sure without checking things out first. Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this." He let out a sigh. "In the meantime, just be on your guard. And don't take the kids anywhere unless I'm with you, and I'm armed." He thought about that picture Espie drew and quickly pushed it out of his mind.

"Okay." She let out a long breath and wrapped her arm around him.. "I'll be so glad when Esperanza is ours, legally."

"Me too, baby. Me too."

The next day Sam had a meeting with Michael, Fiona and Jesse at Carlito's. But before he left the house, he called the agency, and Irina answered her phone. "Irina, this is Sam Axe. Esperanza's d…foster dad." Despite the fact that he felt as if she were his, he had to watch himself. As much as he thought Irina was on their side, his experience with Linda Cortez left him less than trusting when it came to the social service agency.

"Hello, Sam," she greeted him cheerfully. "How is everything going with Espie?"

"She's doing great. We had a few bumps with the math, but I think she's getting the hang of it. She'll be ready for regular school in the fall."

"That's really great to hear. Is there something I can do for you? You don't usually call, and it's the middle of the week."

"Well, yeah. We got a visit yesterday from some chick named Angela Castro. She claims to be Esperanza's mother, that she just got out of jail, and she wants her back." He paused. "So I'm asking myself, is this for real, and if so, what kind of legal leg does she have to stand on? Oh yeah, and what about the fact that we were told she was an orphan?"

"Sam, I'm shocked. Seriously. I don't know who told you that her parents were dead…."

"Linda Cortez did."

"Did she ever show you any documentation to back that up?"

"No. At the time we trusted her." He paused. "What's the truth?"

"Her parents are alive, at least as far as we know her mother is. There's no father listed on Espie's birth certificate. I have a copy right here. Her mother was in prison and was up for parole this year, but I don't have an exact date." She let out a breath. "But one thing I can tell you to put your mind at rest: she signed over her rights to Esperanza when she was sent to prison for three years. She was a drug addict, and if she hadn't gone to jail, we probably would have taken Espie away. That was two years ago. So she doesn't have any claim on her, and unless a proven father comes forward and wishes to dispute an adoption because he didn't give up his parental rights, there's nothing she can do."

"Thank you, Irina. That's something I needed to hear. But I'd like to find out who the father is and make sure he's not going to throw a wrench in the works."

"I'm afraid that even if we had that information, we couldn't give it to you." She paused. "Maybe you can use your sleuthing skills to discover that information for yourself."

Sam laughed. "I was just going to bring this up to my friends this morning when I meet with them. Thanks for your help, Irina. If we need anything else, I'll let you know."

"You're welcome. I really do want to see you adopt Esperanza. She is thriving under your roof, and she's so happy. I don't think she would have the same opportunities if her mother somehow got possession of her."

"I know. It would devastate us if we had to give her up." He paused. "Well, I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Have a good day, and we'll talk next week."

While Sam was on the phone, Esperanza listened from the doorway of her room. She grinned at the things her daddy said. Then she went back into her room to think about what she could do to help keep the bad mommy from taking her away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Michael, Fiona and Jesse waited at their usual table when Sam arrived. He waved in greeting to his dad behind the bar before he joined his friends. They greeted him and made the usual cracks and barbs that the late person always got, but he ignored them. His mind was too clouded by the situation with Esperanza's mother.

"Sam, what's wrong?"

He turned to Michael and asked, "What makes you think anything's wrong?"

"There's a beer sitting in front of you, and you haven't even touched it," Fiona replied and took a sip of her drink.

"Yeah. Thanks. Who bought the round?"

Jesse lifted his beer. "I did."

"For once," Michael teased, then turned serious again. "Sam, come on. What's going on? I know you. Right now you look like you've got a ton of weight on your shoulders."

Sam sighed deeply, took a sip of his beer, and replied. "Yeah, I do. Some woman came to our door yesterday claiming to be Esperanza's mom, and she wants her back. I called DCS and they said her mother signed away her rights, so we have nothing to worry about. I was just about on the way out the door after that, but I went online real quick to see what I could find out about cases like this." He shook his head. "There's a good chance we could lose her, Mike. After investing so much time and love into this great kid, the courts might rip her right out of our home and we'd never see her again." He swallowed a lump and washed it down with a good portion of his beer. Anything was better than losing it in public. "Apparently, the courts like to keep families together. No matter how much they suck."

Jesse was the first to speak after Sam's revelation dumbfounded them. "Is there anything we can do, man?"

"I don't know. I'm thinking I need to find out all I can on this woman, try to locate the father even though he isn't listed on Esperanza's birth certificate, and somehow convince them both that it's in Esperanza's best interest to ask the court to give us sole custody so we can adopt her. Although I have the feeling that Espie's best interest isn't what they care about." He leaned his elbows on the table and ran a hand through his hair. "I feel like we're going up an icy hill with no traction."

"We came here to discuss this little job Fiona picked up, but you know what, I think we just got ourselves a bigger client," Michael said as he laid a hand on Sam's back.

"I can't ask you guys to help."

"Why not?" Fiona glared at him as if he'd gone crazy.

"I suspect this elusive father might have some nasty ties, maybe a gang or something. She said I didn't know who I was dealing with. Like she had some muscle behind her or something."

"That's never stopped us before," Jesse said while he sat with arms crossed. "Just makes it a little more challenging. I'm in."

"Me too."

Michael smiled. "Well, since I'm the one who suggested it, I think it's safe to say we have a unanimous decision." He glanced at Sam. "Sorry, your vote doesn't count, since it's your issue."

Sam sighed. "I guess I have no choice, do I?"

Michael grinned. "You'll be thanking us later. Now, why don't you tell us what you do know?"

"It's pretty limited. The mother said her name was Angela Castro, she just got out of prison after two years. Don't know why she was in, but looked like she was using. She was paroled for some reason, and the DCS backed up that much of her story. She implied she had something to prove she had a right to get custody of Espie, and that was it."

"Did you see what kind of a car she drove?"

"That's the thing, she must have walked or something, because after I warned her that she needed to get off my property, she ran toward Maddie's and I think she kept going." He shook his head. "I was too busy dealing with Espie, trying to settle her down Seeing her mother really upset her. She was scared, Mike." He hung his head for a moment and then raised it to look at his friends. "Last night I found a picture Espie drew. It was sitting on her desk."

"What was it a picture of," Fiona asked with a slight smile. She knew Esperanza liked to draw pictures of her family.

"It was the four of us, Eve, me, Samuel and Espie...and you and Mike were in it."

"Aww, that's so sweet." Fiona grinned.

"She drew you with a rifle, Fi. I don't know how sweet that is, especially when she depicted her mother lying in a pool of blood."

"I guess we know how Esperanza feels about Angela Castro," Michael said dryly.

"Mike, it was disturbing. I mean, is that what she picks up from us? After seeing that, I have to wonder, just a little, if we're injuring her psyche with all the guns and spy talk we do around the house. And then I have to wonder what it does to Samuel. Maybe Mrs. Cortez had a point, that we don't have a good home for a child."

"Sam, shut up," Fiona ground out through her teeth as she leaned forward until her slight body was nearly half way across the table. "Take it from someone who lived in Ireland in the middle of all the hate and violence on a daily basis. Your home is more stable, safe, and...healthy...than a lot of other ones I've seen." She pointed her finger at his face. "Don't you ever think otherwise!"

Sam stared at her, unable to respond to her passionate reaction.

After an uncomfortable silence, Michael said, "Okay, so is there anything we can get from the state? Jesse, how about you look into that and see what you can dig up?"

"I'm on it." He scribbled some notes on a napkin and stuck it in his pocket.

"Fi, I want you to go over to Sam's and use your feminine touch to talk to Esperanza, see what she knows, if anything."

"Mike..."

"Don't worry, Sam. I'll be gentle." Fiona assured him with a disarming smile. "You know I love her almost as much as you and Yvette do."

He could only nod.

"I'm going to check county records, see what I can find out about our mother of the year and what she was incarcerated for. Maybe I can dig up something about her past with Esperanza. If there's any record of abuse or neglect, that'll go a long way towards proving she's unfit if it ever gets to court."

"From my research, it was pretty obvious that they're more concerned with keeping biological families together, no matter how bad they are," Sam informed him morosely.

"If that's the case, we're just going to have to, like you said, convince mommy and/or daddy that it's not worth pursuing. And with any luck Esperanza won't have to be around for any of it. All she'll know is that her biological mom decided to not take her back." He paused and took a drink. "If she wants to throw some muscle around, we'll just have to come up with our own muscle to fight back."

"As long as Espie doesn't get hurt. That's all that really matters, and that she stays with us for the rest of her childhood."

"We'll see what we can do."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

With no new developments from his friends, Sam tried to throw himself into Esperanza's lessons to keep his mind off things. While Espie read aloud from her workbook, Sam's mind drifted. He didn't realize it until she slapped his arm.

"Hey!"

"Daddy, you weren't listening to me!"

"Oh. I'm sorry, punkin. What were you reading?"

"You mean I have to do it again?"

"Yeah. It'll make you a better reader." He smiled.

There was a knock on the front door. "Sam, can you get that? Sammy and I are up to our elbows in dough right now."

"Sure." He opened the book to the next page and tapped it. "Hang on, honey. I'll be right back."

He looked through the window and spied Irina standing at the door with Melanie Clifton, her supervisor. An uncomfortable sensation ran up his spine, but he willed it away and found the courage to open the door.

"Hi, Irina...Melanie. What brings you here?"

Irina gave Sam a small smile as he stepped aside and let them into the living room. "We don't want to bother you, Sam, but we were in the area and Melanie wanted to see how things were going with Esperanza."

"We were just going through some reading lessons. If you'd like to sit in, you're welcome to."

"Thank you, Sam." Melanie smiled warmly as she took a seat at the dining room table.

"Can I get you ladies anything?"

"Whatever you've got that's cold and wet will be fine," Irina answered. "It's hot out there today."

"Yeah. We don't normally have the air on this time of year, but it looks like we're going to have a hot spring. I'll be right back."

He quickly returned with some glasses and a pitcher of iced tea. He poured them each a glass and one for himself.

"Daddy, can I get some juice?"

"Sure, honey. Just be careful with it when you come back."

Esperanza trotted into the kitchen and they listened to her feet padding on the floor. "Mama, those two ladies are here."

"What two ladies?"

"Espie," Sam called to her. To the women, he said, "Excuse me a second."

"Certainly." They looked amused as he followed Esperanza into the kitchen. They heard whispering, and a few moments later, Sam returned with Esperanza and a small glass of orange juice for her.

"My wife is in the kitchen making bread dough with Samuel." Shaking his head, he chuckled. "That kid loves to get down and dirty. He's very hands on, just like this one." He patted her hair and ran his hand down its silkiness. "So, where were we?"

"I was reading, remember?" Esperanza giggled and got down to business reading two pages flawlessly.

"That was excellent, Esperanza," Melanie praised.

"Thank you," she said and ducked her head shyly. "My daddy taught me how to read."

Melanie and Irina glanced at each other and smiled.

Sam glanced at his watch. "That was great, but we're running late here, kiddo! It's time to work on those writing exercises."

She wrinkled her nose. "Daddy, why do I have to know how to write when I'm gonna use a computer in school?"

The three adults laughed. "Trust me, you'll need to know how to write. Not everything is electronic."

"Ohhhhkay. But Zoe makes fun of my pemmaship."

"Your pemmaship, huh?" He winked at the ladies. "Why does she make fun of your penmanship?"

"She says I write with the wrong hand."

"Lots of people write left-handed. I do." Sam took a piece of paper, picked up a pencil, and wrote _Daddy loves Esperanza's penmanship, _while his daughter watched his hand move across the page."So, does that look funny to you?"

"No. Let me try it."

Sam ripped a sheet out of the penmanship workbook and handed it to her. "Now you just write everything like they have it up top, but just remember, you're going to have to slant your paper to get it straight." He hovered as she concentrated on her marks, and every now and then he stopped her to adjust the paper. He got so wrapped up in what he was doing, the two pairs of eyes watching were forgotten. Not even Samuel tearing into the living room got his attention.

"Sam. Sam?"

"Huh? Oh, Eve. What is it?"

"I need to run to the store for some things for supper. Think you can handle speedy over there while I'm gone?"

"Oh yeah, no problem." He accepted a kiss from her and called out to her retreating form, "Don't forget to get more coffee. I used up the last of it this morning!"

"Okee dokee," she answered and the screen slammed.

"So," Sam said, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, remembering that he had an audience. "I hope we didn't bore you too much."

"Not at all, Sam," Melanie said with a grin. "This was even better than what I was hoping to see."

"I don't follow you." Samuel trotted toward the kitchen, and Sam reached out with an arm to stop him. "Hey Sammy, no running in the house!"

Samuel stopped in his tracks. "Wanna drink."

"Okay, hang on." He stood and sighed. "Sorry, I'll be right back." He soon returned with a cup of juice for Samuel. He sat in his chair, set the child on his knee, and Samuel happily sucked on his straw. "Alright. Where were we? Oh yeah, you said you weren't expecting...what?"

"I was hoping to see a well-adjusted family, and I got more than that. Sam, the way you work with Espie is ingenious. Did you ever consider becoming a teacher?"

"Me? Nah. But when I was in the Navy, I had some, uh, how shall we say it, some guys who weren't exactly the brightest of the bunch. Sometimes it took creative thinking to get them to do what they were supposed to do."

Irina laughed. "The techniques you're using are good for Espie's learning style."

"I just came up with ways to make it more interesting for her. She gets bored easily once she's nailed something. With the reading, I think I'm gonna have to advance her to the second grade book before long."

"Do you have her test scores?"

"Oh yeah. They're in the office." He set Samuel down in his chair and said, "You stay here."

Samuel obeyed his father, but in the short time he was gone, the child had a twinkle in his eye as if he were planning to bolt at any second. Sam returned with a manila folder. "I printed out extra copies because I figured you would want them. You can take that folder."

"Thank you." Melanie scanned the grades and let out a sigh that told him whatever the real reason for their visit, they were pleased with the outcome. She looked at her watch and said, "We really need to get back to the office, Sam. Keep up the good work with Esperanza. She's doing excellent."

"Yeah, I'm really proud of her." He looked at them and he blinked to keep his eyes from watering.

"We can let ourselves out. You just go back to what you were doing with your kids."

_Your kids._ That phrase gave Sam a little security. It told volumes of how they felt about the situation. This visit could be valuable in determining where Esperanza would go, and he prayed that if they wound up in court, the judge would look at the ladies' report from today and be convinced beyond a doubt that Esperanza belonged with them.

His phone rang, and he fished it out of his pocket. "Yeah, Mike."

"Sam, where are you?"

"At home with the kids. Why?"

"You better get out of there now. Ms. Castro and her boyfriend are coming over, and I doubt they're making a social call."

"Thanks, Mike. I'll take them to Maddie and my Dad's."

"No, that's too close. Fiona's on her way to get you and take you all to the loft."

He heard screeching tires in front of the house. "I think they're here, Mike." He got up quickly, hurried to the front door and secured it. Thank God he'd replaced the side windows with bullet proof glass, which would make breaking in through the windows a lot more difficult. Then he turned and picked up Samuel. "Come on, Espie, we're going for a little ride."

"What about Mama?"

"We'll call her on the way." Into the phone he said, "Mike, I see Fi's car coming, and there are bogeys surrounding the house. I'll talk to you later."

He set Samuel down and said, "Espie, hold your brother's hand." She did as she was told, while he reached into the cabinet, pulled out the gun, and unlocked the ammunition box. He loaded it and set it down on the counter, picked up Samuel again, then the gun, and said, "Okay, we're going to have to run, Espie. Run as fast as you can to Aunt Fiona's car. Okay?"

She nodded. Sam turned the lock on the door and pulled it shut as he ushered Espie out. A man came around the house and raised a gun up to aim at Sam. A shot came from near the garage and the man jumped back.

"Go, Espie! Run to Fiona!" Espie ran, and he followed her closely, covering the man and another who came from the back yard as he ran to Fiona's car.

They fired at Sam and he returned a volley at one and then the other, all the while trying to shield his son. He reached the open door, threw Samuel into the back seat with Esperanza, and then launched himself into the passenger side. Fiona took one last shot at the approaching men before getting in. She tossed Sam her gun, put the car in gear, and took off fast.

"I was really hoping we were done with kidnapping attempts," Sam muttered.

Fiona kept her eyes on the road and prepared to evade if necessary. "Espie, you put your seatbelt on back there, honey, and try to get Samuel in the car seat, okay?"

"No, I got it," Sam said as he reached between the front seats and secured Samuel. Fiona took a sharp curve and Sam's body moved with the centrifugal force into Fiona's side.

"Sam!" She pushed him away.

"Well if you didn't drive like a maniac, sister, I'd be fine!" On the straightaway he got himself back into his seat and put the seatbelt on. His chest heaved as he said, "I think you lost 'em, Fi."

"Amateurs." She shook her head. "Not good shots, either. We can take care of this trash easily enough, in time."

"Right now I'd just be happy getting to the loft." He picked up his phone. "Eve, where are you?" He listened. "Whatever you do, don't go home! Meet us at Mike and Fi's place. We had an invasion party...no, the kids are fine. Everybody got out safe. I just kind of wish this had all gone down when Irina and Melanie were there. Then there'd be no doubt that rewarding that crazy woman custody would be a major mistake! Anyway, I'll see you at the loft. Okay? Ten minutes? Good." He broke the connection. "She was only a few blocks from home. Thank God I called her when I did."

"Thank God you all got out safely."

Sam nodded. "Thanks for being there, Fi."

"I don't worry about you, Sam." She nodded her head. "It's those innocent babes."

"I know, but I appreciate it anyway."

"You're welcome."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Michael and Jesse got out of the Charger and took in their surroundings. They were in the middle of a section of Miami that was heavily influenced by the hispanic population. Spanish was the only language spoken on the streets, the signs were all in Spanish, and the music coming out of a loudspeaker over a bodega was upbeat, guitar and percussion heavy, and definitely Latino.

"Okay, this is the place where the Sangre Reyes hang out," Jesse said as he adjusted his sunglasses. "How do you propose we flush out this guy, Raul?"

"We tell him we've got something he wants. We make him think that we'll turn on our friends for the right amount of cash, and we'll deliver Esperanza to him. When he takes the bait and hands over the cash, we make sure Detective Paxson is there to see it. Daddy goes to jail, Paxson gets another feather in her cap, and Espie gets to stay with Sam and Yvette. It's a win-win situation for everybody."

"I'd feel better if we didn't have to actually have Esperanza with us when this deal goes down."

"You and me both, Jesse. Because if something goes wrong and she gets hurt, Sam will...well, he'll probably want to kill me." Michael took a step closer to the bodega, watching the street around them, and stopped. "Over there, in that bar. That's him."

Jesse's eyes followed Michael's line of sight. "That's him alright. Okay, let's do this."

_Some people want something so badly, or the person they love wants something so badly, that they will do just about anything to get it. How you take advantage of that mentality is what determines the final outcome of a mission._

Michael entered the bar that was open to the street and sat a few stools away from Raul. He ordered a beer, and while he waited, trained his attention on his target. The man felt his eyes on him, and finally he turned to glare at Michael.

"What you lookin' at, gringo?"

"Raul, I hear your a man who's looking for something."

"How do you know my name?"

Michael waved a hand. "That's not important. What is important is that I hear you want your daughter back."

"I could care less about that kid."

"Is she yours?"

"Yes, she's mine! But it's Angela who wants her, not me." He took a sip of his beer. "Don't know why, but..." He shrugged.

"I also heard about that fiasco at the foster family's house. You need some serious help, my friend, with your tactical support." He shook his head. "You know that guy ran black ops and stuff in the military, don'tcha? You don't wanna mess with him."

"How do you know all this?"

"This guy, Sam Axe, is a friend of mine."

Raul slammed his beer onto the bar and approached him. "You sure know a lot about everybody for a guy who should mind his own business. What do you want?"

"Hey, just wanna help." Michael smiled. "I'm a guy who likes to see families get reunited. Makes me feel good. Sam's already got a kid. Why's he gotta have yours too, huh?" He swirled his bottle in one hand. "The courts are probably gonna side with them, since Angela signed those papers giving up her rights. The only way you'll get Esperanza is if I help you. I can make it happen, for a few dollars."

"A few dollars. Why should I hire you when my guys can do it for free?"

"Oh yeah, how'd that work out for you before? Do you even know where this guy ran off to? He could be half way to the Caymans by now with those kids!"

Raul scoffed. "I don't think he's that good. He's around Miami, we'll find him, and then we'll cut out his heart, take Esperanza, and his kid as a bonus. How about that?"

"No, no, that's no good. Hey, you know what your girl is like, crazy about wanting her kid back. Can you imagine what this guy's wife is gonna do if you kill him and take the kids? She's more dangerous than he is when she gets mad." Michael's eyes were wide. "You're either really brave, or stupid."

"Well, either way, her heart's gonna get broken. We want Esperanza back."

"Yeah, she'll be heartbroken, but she'll get over it. There's always another foster kid, right?" Michael smirked.

Raul laughed. "Yeah, right. So what do you plan to do?"

"You don't have to worry about that. All you gotta do is show up at this address with five g's, and we'll take care of the rest." Michael stood and threw some money on the bar. "We'll give you a couple of days to think it over. My number's on the card. We hope to be doing business with you in the near future." He tugged on the lapels of his suit and walked away with Jesse a half step behind as if he were his bodyguard.

Raul's eyes were on him as he got into the car and they drove away. He held the business card in between two fingers. "Mario, I want you to check this guy out. Find out who he is."

"Si, Raul." Mario snatched the card and walked away.

He was careful. You never knew when the attractive business offer was a cover for a sting operation. Only once was he caught by such a ruse, but ever since then, he was cautious. As much as he wanted to make Angela's dream come true, he wasn't about to do it at the expense of his operation or his business, because if this blew up in his face, all his dirty deeds would come to light and he would go down for a long time. And then he would make sure she paid, both Angela and Esperanza.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Michael arrived at the loft as the small group prepared to sit down to supper. Sam heard the door squeak and looked up from securing Samuel in the high chair. For a woman without a child, Fiona owned a lot of kid stuff, but they were grateful that she was so well-equipped at a time like this.

"So Mike, how'd it go? Did he bite?"

"Hes' thinking about it. I'm sure he'll have his guys check me out first, but I'm betting he's going to do it. I could see it in his eyes, Sam. He loves Angela enough to take the risk."

"Sometimes it's hard to believe that people like Raul love anyone but themselves," Yvette replied as she placed a cup of juice and plate of spaghetti on Samuel's tray.

"True. Right now he's wrestling with what he loves more, Angela or his business. If he chooses her, we're good. He'll take the deal." He paused and sat at the table. "If he doesn't, we'll just have to build a good enough case against him and Angela to prove that they're unfit as parents."

"I'm still not sure I like you using Esperanza in your plan," Yvette said. "What if something goes wrong and they start shooting or something?"

Her words brought back the picture that would be forever burned into Sam's mind. He hated this plan just as much as she did, but he would do everything he could to protect their daughter. Even if it meant offering her up as bait. "Mike isn't going to let anything happen to her, Eve. I won't let anything happen to her."

"If he takes the deal, does that mean we can go home," Yvette asked.

He knew she wouldn't like his answer, but Sam replied soberly, "I'll go home tomorrow morning, pick up some clothes and stuff, but basically we're staying away until this thing goes down."

"Sam, we don't even have any diapers for Samuel!"

"Okay, I'll call my dad, have him get in the house and pick up our stuff, and deliver it to us."

"After supper," Yvette agreed.

"Sure."

Talk changed to other subjects, and Sam half-listened, but his mind was on tactics and how to get their stuff if someone had their eye on the house. Not even having his dad enter would be safe, because they would surely follow him to wherever he went. When it came down to it, Yvette was right. They should just go home and prepare for the worst. No doubt Samuel would be willing to come over and camp out on the daybed in the office. He snapped his fingers, wondering why he didn't think of it sooner.

"Sam?" Michael glanced at him.

"I've got an idea. We can go back home, but we'll get reinforcements to keep an eye on the place. My dad, and I'm sure if I called Jack, he'd be glad to help. I think he'd kind of like the chance for a little action." He paused and his gaze locked on his wife. "However, I want Yvette and the kids to stay here." He held up a hand when he saw her open her mouth to speak. "It's safer this way. We'll get you what you need to stay here for a few days, but if anyone tries to break into the house, they're going to find a bunch of guys. No Espie in sight."

"That means Mama will have to teach me," Espie said with a little pout.

"What, am I that bad?"

"Hey, what can I say, I've got the touch with her," Sam replied with a laugh. Then he turned to Esperanza and said, "Now honey, I want you to listen to your mother and do what she tells you, okay? You can learn just as much from her as me." He smoothed her hair.

"Okay, Daddy," she responded with resignation and poked a meatball with her fork, swirling it around the sauce on her plate.

"I'll give Maddie the stuff tomorrow morning if the coast is clear, and she can bring it here. Maybe she can make a detour or two just to make sure nobody is following her."

"Are you leaving tonight, Sam?"

"Yes, Eve. I want to make sure the house is secure before it gets dark." He pushed away from the table and stood. "Which means I need to get my butt in gear now."

"Hey, I'll come with you, if you don't mind one more," Jesse said as he stood.

"Thanks, Jess. Fi, can I borrow your car?"

"No man, we can take mine. They don't know my car yet, so it might be safer."

"Good idea, Jesse. We'll park it in the garage so if they show up later, they won't see it from the street. Okay, let's go." He raised his hand and waved as he headed for the door.

"Dada! Nooooooo," Samuel wailed and banged his cup on the tray.

Sam stopped and traced his steps. "I'm sorry, Sammy." He gave his messy cheek a kiss and he squeezed his shoulder. "I'll see you soon. You be good for Mommy and Aunt Fiona and Uncle Mike." He ignored the look Michael gave him as he said goodbye to Esperanza and saved Yvette for last. He took her hand and said, "Come here a minute." He led her out to the balcony, away from prying eyes.

"Sam, what..."

He captured her head with his hands and pressed his lips to hers. One of her arms went around his shoulders and the other around to his back. She kissed him as if she might never do it again, and he kissed her as if he were storing up the feelings for later, to remember when he was alone.

They came up for air when Jesse called, "Hey Sam, let's get a move on! Before it gets dark, remember?"

Sam let out a ragged breath as he studied Yvette's face. Then he gave her a smile. "I'll see you soon, sweetheart."

"Count on it," she replied with the last bit of strength she could dig up from deep down inside. She was scared to death of him going home. But she wouldn't tell him so, because it wouldn't do any good. He would do this with or without her support, because their family's well-being was at stake and he wouldn't sit still for anyone threatening them.

"Love you," he whispered and kissed her one more time before slipping out of her grasp.

"Love you too," she replied softly as he turned away and went inside.

Sam entered the loft to find Michael and Jesse standing at the door. Michael had a small duffel bag at his feet. "It's about time, Sam. You took so long, I managed to pack some things before we left."

"We? Aren't you staying here with the girls?"  
>"We girls can take care of ourselves," Fiona answered coolly. "You just worry about yourselves."<p>

Sam just shook his head. "Alright, let's get out of here."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

On the way to his house, Sam called his father and told him what was happening. There was a long pause on the other side of the line before Samuel responded.

"Now I know what all the shots were about this afternoon."

"Did anyone call the cops?"

"If they did, they didn't find anything. It was all over in a few seconds." He paused. "I know, 'cause I went over to your house to see what was up and everybody was gone."

"Yeah. Maybe the initial fireworks, but there's more to come, Dad."

"Do you need any help, Son?"

"Well, I've got Mike and Jesse, and I'm going to give Jack a call. I'm sure he'll help. I think that's plenty. If anything, maybe you could go over to the loft and keep an eye on Fi, Eve, and the kids?"

"Sure. I'll take Maddie along. She'll love it."

"Before you go, I'm gonna pack some stuff for them. If you could come by..."

"No problem. We'll wait until after dark, make it less conspicuous that way."

Sam chuckled. "Thinking like a SEAL, huh, Dad?"

"Oh yeah." Samuel responded with a chuckle of his own. "See you in a little while, Sammy."

Sam hung up and immediately called his friend Jack, who had moved to Miami a couple of months ago. An ex-SEAL that Sam worked with for many years, he was the stereotypical tougher than nails soldier. Any man who could move from North Dakota in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years was worth having on Sam's team.

"Hey Axeman, what's up?" Jack answered when he called.

"In a nutshell, someone's trying to kidnap Esperanza, and we're working on a plan to take the guy down. Right now, Mike, Jesse and I are going to the house, and we'll hole up until Mike hears from this guy."

"Where are Yvette and the kids?"

"At the loft."

"Aw man, you should have brought them over here. Sasha would love to have 'em around!"

"Well, we were in kind of a bind at the time. Sorry."

"That's okay. You need more manpower at your place?"

"We need every man we can get, Jack."

"Alright, then. I'll be right over."

Jesse pulled up to the driveway, and Sam got out and opened the garage for him. When the car was safely parked inside, he closed and locked the garage, and they went as a group to the back door. It was already getting dark, and visibility was degrading by the minute. They heard a thump in the back yard, and three guns trained on the location of the sound.

"Hey! Who's there?" Sam barked loud enough to be heard in the alley.

"It's just me, man," Jack answered lightly. "Chill out, I'm just scaling your fence!" He picked up his gear and trotted over to them. "I parked in the alley, under some overhanging kudzu vines. Those things make a great camouflage and protection. Prickly little suckers!" He examined his thumb in the fading light and sucked on a pinprick of blood.

Sam shook his head. "Nobody could ever accuse you of being conventional, Jack." He unlocked the door and turned on the light before entering. He led the way, lighting up the kitchen as he swept the room. Michael, Jesse, and Jack had his back. Jack locked the door behind them and followed into the living area.

"Okay, Jess, you and Mike wanna check the upstairs?"

They nodded and took the stairs two at a time. "Bathroom clear. Bedrooms clear."

Jack checked the office. "Clear."

Sam checked Esperanza's room. "Clear." He was half expecting to find something or someone waiting. "Guess they decided not to stick around when their plan fell apart at the seams. But I don't think they're going to leave us alone until the so-called exchange date."

"They'll probably come around at least once to survey the place, see if you're up to anything."

"Mike, now that Raul has seen you and Jesse, is it really a good idea for you two to be here?"

"Sam, he knows I'm your friend. If he sees me here, he's going to think that I'm even sleazier than he already thinks I am. Spending time with the guy I'm going to rip off makes me look pretty bad, and hopefully it'll put him at ease if he thinks I'm here to make sure everything goes according to plan."

"Okay. I guess we better prepare."

"I've got plenty of firepower in here," Jack said as he patted the large duffel bag on the living room floor. "Where should I set up?"

"Just make sure we're all well armed," Michael answered as he went around the dining room and living area closing blinds and curtains.

"I'm going to get a bag packed for Eve and the kids," Sam said as he went to Esperanza's room.

"Your dad should be here soon, I would think," Jesse said as he helped Jack take stock of what he brought and determine how to divide everything.

"That's why I'm in kind of a hurry. I don't want him to have to stick around longer than necessary, because that'll give someone a chance to figure out if he's worth tailing or not. I don't want to risk him getting followed to the loft."

Samuel arrived shortly after Sam had a large suitcase packed with everything he could think that his family would need for a few days. There was little talk between father and son, and Samuel didn't press it, because he knew the seriousness of the situation. With a quick hug, Samuel was back out into the night, rushing to the car that Maddie left running. She sat in the driver's seat, waved at Sam's silhouette, and they were gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Well, we might as well do something constructive," Fiona said after the supper was put away and the dishes were washed. She opened a cabinet and brought out a large stack of magazines, and she dropped them with a heavy thud onto the table. The stack teetered and slid into a sizable heap.

"Brides magazines! Oh, good!" Yvette grinned. "I suppose you haven't really started on planning yet, have you?"

"No," Fiona admitted. "Michael and I have been busy with a few cases, and now this...but not to worry. I'm sure you and I can hash this out in no time. I mean, you've been through this once before! I'm sure you can help me with some ideas!"

"Well, it all depends on whether you want simple...or William and Kate complex."

Fiona laughed, hear head tilting back. "Yvette, Michael would run in the other direction if it became that elaborate!" She settled down, brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. "No, simple, like your wedding to Sam. That was nice. Intimate."

"Do you think any of your family would come for the wedding?"

"Maybe Sean, but the rest of my family...I think not." She shook her head slowly. "It's a long way, and the expense..."

"I know what it's like to not have family at the most important event of your life. Outside of childbirth, that is." Yvette giggled.

"That's right. With your folks dead and you bein' an only child, I guess I should be thankful for what I've got, even though I can never go back home to see them." She smiled wistfully. "Yes, I'm sure Sean would come, and he'll probably insist on walking me down the aisle." She grinned and laughed softly.

"Oh Fi, check out this dress. This is so you!" Yvette curled back the cover of the magazine she was perusing and showed her a floor length satin sheath dress that emphasized all the right curves, but wasn't trashy.

"I like it, but I was thinking something off the shoulder."

"Oh, I saw something like that in here. Don't worry, I'll find it again!"

"Mama, Aunt Fiona, look at this one!" Esperanza turned the magazine so that Fiona could see the dress she found. "It's a princess dress!"

"Very nice, Espie. But it's silk. Sorry, I don't want silk." She smiled at the child, trying to smooth any hurt feelings. "It's okay, just keep looking. I know you can help me find the right dress!" Her eyes sparkled at Esperanza and the little girl smiled back before returning her attention to the thick magazine.

"You know, we could probably find something close to what you want and take it to Mia. She could make something just for you."

"Oh, Michael would be upset if I spent that much on a dress!" Fiona's nose crinkled. "But it would be heavenly, wouldn't it?" The two women giggled.

A knock sounded on the door. Two knocks, followed by one. "It must be Samuel," Fiona said as she approached the door. Just to be safe, she asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Samuel and Maddie!"

"Ah, come on in! Madelyn, you're just in time to help us make wedding plans!"

"Wedding plans?" Maddie's voice rose in happiness. "Alright, where do we start?"

Samuel dropped the suitcase near the door, locked the entrance, and entered the loft. His grandson lay asleep on an air mattress on the floor, so he was definitely outnumbered by estrogen. Not sure what to do, he went out on the balcony and gazed out on the lights across the river. He glanced at his watch. In about an hour the nightclub downstairs would open for business and the floor would start vibrating. He was never able to figure out how anyone could sleep with all that racket! He saw some movement on the sidewalk that ran along the water, and his guard was up. It was a couple out for a stroll, probably waiting for the club to open. He let out a silent breath in relief. A small boat cruised up the river, its motor gently churning up the water behind it, leaving very little wake. A couple lounged against the windshield, legs stretched out on the bow, and a couple others sat on a bench in the stern. Several fishing rods stuck out of their holders on both sides of the boat.

He never realized how much activity there was around this place at night. He almost wished that he had backup, but at least there was only one good way to get into the building, which would make it harder for someone to attack. _Harder to escape too. _But he refused to think negatively.

"Samuel, what are you doing out here," Maddie asked as she joined him on the balcony.

"Enjoying the night air, checking out the activity, and just generally staying away from the girl talk," he replied with a laugh. "Making any progress in there?"  
>"Oh yeah. We're having a ball!" Maddie snuggled close to him. "Fiona and Michael set a date. They're getting married in May, which leaves us very little time to put anything major together. Which, apparently, is fine with Fiona. She wants small and simple. It worked so well for us, and Sam and Yvette, it's probably for the best. I mean if something happened and they would have to change plans on a moment's notice..." She let out a deep sigh and he pulled her into the shelter of his arm.<p>

"Everything's going to be fine, Maddie. This Raul guy thinks he's tough, but he's nothing. We'll get him and he won't be able to torment Espie or anyone else again."

"How much longer do we have to wait?"

"Michael gave him a couple days, so Friday's the date for the exchange that isn't going to happen."

"That's too many days! So much could go wrong!"

"Just trust that everything will work out, Maddie. It always does, doesn't it?" He rested his cheek on the top of her head as he wrapped her in his arms.

"Maddie, we need help in here! Fiona wants a carrot cake for a wedding cake! Isn't that the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard?"

Maddie laughed under her breath. "I better get back in there before they have a knock down drag out over a cake." She kissed him and turned out of his embrace.

Sometimes a woman's problems were more than he would ever want to consider.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The evening passed uneventfully, and when Sam awoke alone, he had to think for a moment to remember where his family was before panic set in. It was quiet in the house. Then he heard voices downstairs, and wondered who took watch. No one ever bothered to wake him up for a stint. _Guess I get the day shift!_ He got himself together and went down to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee.

"You're out, Axeman," Jack said from the doorway.

Sam whirled with gun drawn, then slowly put the safety back on and tucked it away. "Jack, you know you shouldn't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry, man. After getting your beauty rest, I didn't think you'd be so jumpy!" He chuckled and set a plastic bag on the counter. "I made a coffee and donut run."

"Did you see anything out there?"

"No cars parked nearby, no suspicious characters...although that lady next door..."

"Oh, that's just Mrs. Petersen. You remember her from when you helped me with the house."

"Yeah. You should have seen the look she gave me. It was so sour, it could chew paint off the house, man. Do you think she knows what went on yesterday?"

Sam shook his head. "At that time of day, she was at her weekly bingo session when all the shooting happened. Otherwise, the cops would have been called for sure."

"Someone must have heard it. I mean, this isn't the kind of neighborhood where you expect to hear gunfire."

Sam looked at Jack, grabbed the coffee can and opened it. "What, are you hoping for tactical support from the cops?"

"Nah, they'll only get in the way." Jack grinned. "I'm more worried about your rep around here, Axeman. If this starts happening more and more, they're gonna want you to move out." He laughed.

"Yeah, well it would take a lot for that to happen. We love it here."

Sam heard a phone sound off in the living room, and after a few rings, Michael picked up. He couldn't hear the exchange, but they were soon to find out what it was. Michael padded into the kitchen, bare chested, his hair mussed.

"How was the couch, Mikey?"

"Not too bad. I was surprised." He stretched and yawned. "That phone call was Raul. He's willing to make the exchange. We're meeting him at two tomorrow at the appointed place. Now we've got to get to work setting up." He dialed his phone, and when Fiona answered, he said, "Hey Fi, it's on for tomorrow. We'll be working out the plan this morning, and I'll let you know about it when we've got it firmed up." He listened a few seconds. "Yeah, I'll tell him. Bye, Fi."

Sam pressed the button on the coffee maker and asked, "What'd she say?"

"Your wife wants you to give her a call." He smiled.

"I was getting around to that." Sam nodded. "Coffee's brewing, Jack brought donuts. Breakfast will be served in a few minutes." He winked. "Enough time for me to call Eve." He left the room and went into the office to make his call, but Jesse was still sleeping on the day bed, so he went into Espie's room.

"Sam, is that you?"

"Yes it is, baby. Good morning." He smiled over the phone.

"Good morning to you, although it didn't seem like a good morning at first. I didn't like waking up without you beside me. It was...unsettling. This whole business is unsettling."

"It'll be all over tomorrow at two, trust me."

"I always do. But I've also been putting in a request for safety for everyone on the team," she said with a smile in her voice.

"Me too, sweetheart. How are the kids?"

"They've been having a ball hanging out with Grandma and Aunt Fiona. Samuel still managed to go to sleep about his regular time, despite the devastation of his routine. Espie was a little more stubborn. She wanted to dance to the music from downstairs until it stopped." She sighed. "I wasn't sure we'd ever get her to bed! We did, but I think she's going to be a tired little girl today. Cranky. Be glad you don't have to deal with her."

"Sorry, Eve. If I could..."

"It's not your fault, Sam. You didn't cause this woman to sick a gang on you, us."

"Sometimes..." Sam let out a deep breath. "Eve, I think maybe I need to quit. Stop working with Mike and Fi, get away from the guns and the threats. Maybe we should just move out of Miami altogether after this is all over and we have Espie as our own. I should have done this before we got married. Remember? I told you I didn't think this was good for you to be around. Now we've got other lives to worry about, and I'm not sure I can deal with that."

"And then what would you do?"

"I don't know. Maybe I could write a book about all this crazy stuff. It would have to be fiction, because no one would believe it really happened!"

"Sam, you know you'd never be happy doing anything else. I could never see you being a bar tender like your dad. He likes it well enough, but you know he's not completely happy. It's just something to do."

"Melanie thought I'd make a great teacher."

"Oh yeah, right. It's okay with your daughter, but other kids... I just don't see you doing that and being happy." He paused and let out a breath. "Samuel Ethan Axe, I want you to promise me that you will never, ever, compromise and do something just for the sake of doing it because it's safe. If you aren't feeling that what you do now is helping people or creating good from bad, then yes, you need to stop. But if that's not the case, don't give up. We'll be fine. God is watching over us, or you and the kids would have been killed yesterday."

"They were bad shots, Eve. It seemed like we were in danger at the time, but..."

"Did you ever stop to think _why_ they were bad shots? It wasn't your time, or theirs. And I have no doubt that everything will work out on Friday, and after that, we'll go back to normal and you'll continue to work with Michael and Fiona."

"But honey, you didn't see that picture Espie drew."

"I did, and I talked to her about it." It finally dawned on her what he was getting at; a knowing gasp came out of her. "Oh Sam, you think that she drew that because of what you do?"

"Well, yeah."

"No! Esperanza told me about the life she led before she was taken by Children's Services, when her mother gave up her rights and went to jail. She lived in a bad neighborhood with drugs, guns, and gangs. Every night there were people shooting at each other. She saw the shootings and the guns, so living with us has done very little to harm her psychologically. If anything, she's seen that there is more to life than evil, that there are good people out there defending those who can't defend themselves." She paused. "Sam, that's an awesome legacy to give her. Don't ever think differently."

"But why did she draw Mike and Fi standing over her mom's dead body?"

"That has nothing to do with you. I know this is going to sound terrible, but...she's been wishing for someone to rescue her from that woman for a long time." She stifled a sob. "My god, Sam, that woman was abusing her! They lived in a rat-infested apartment, and she wasn't fed properly, and..." She sniffled. "We can't let her go back there. She would rather see her mother die before she went back to that life."

Sam dropped flat on his back onto Esperanza's bed and stared at the ceiling, blinking away tears. "I swear to you, that is not going to happen. I would do anything, risk anything, to make sure she doesn't have to live like that ever again." He reached out and grabbed one of the stuffed animals on her bed, holding it close as a substitute for his daughter. "When she gets up, you give Espie a big hug and kiss for me, okay?"

"I will. Are we going to have to stay here another night?"

"It would probably be the safest thing."

"Okay. The reason I ask is that Sasha called this morning and asked if we wanted to stay with her tonight. If Jack goes home, and maybe you could come too, we'd have protection."

"I'll talk to the team about it, and I'll let you know."

"Alright. I'll talk to you soon, honey."

"You too. Bye."

Sam cut the connection, threw his arm out to the side and let the phone drop onto the bed. He still clutched the stuffed bear to himself as the emotion rolled out of the corners of his eyes. He was relieved that Esperanza wasn't telegraphing the violence of his job, but at the same time, he felt sorrow for the poor child that she had to go through what she already had in her short life. Somehow, when the dust settled, he would make their family life as normal as possible and protect her from whatever might come in the future. He couldn't undo what had already been done, but maybe time would soften the blow. Maybe they could redeem the time that had been lost and regain some of her innocence.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Friday, two pm, seemed to take forever to arrive. They'd gone over the plan several times and Samuel and Jack checked out the location that morning just to be sure there would be no surprises. The windows of the empty store were covered with yellowed newspapers, and some of them curled away from the old tape holding the rest in place. It was impossible to see inside.

"I still don't feel right about this whole thing," Samuel said as he casually looked up and down the street. "And we should do this without Sam."

"That would be great, except we need cover on that roof up there, just in case, and the Axeman is the best sniper I know."

Samuel squinted at the three story building across the street. "I don't know, Fiona's pretty good."

"She's going to be watching Yvette and the kids with Sasha and Maddie. Keeping them safe." Jack shook his head. "I think we've got everything as under control as we can for now. Let's go back to Sam's place."

Samuel drove them back to his and Maddie's house, parked in the garage, and they walked to Sam's house. All the way they kept an eye open for suspicious people or traffic. So far, everything had been quiet. No show of strength from Raul. It made Samuel uneasy.

"This Raul must think he's got things sewn up pretty good," Jack declared as they neared the back door.

"Why do you say that? Because he hasn't been around to show himself?"

"Yeah. He's probably checked out Mike and figured he could take this guy on, get what he wants, and then some." Jack smiled. "Sam was always good at sewing fake intel around and confusing the enemy. He told me he had the FBI guys going crazy when they were keeping an eye on Mike and they wanted him to inform on them. That'll teach 'em to threaten Sam Axe."

Samuel laughed. "That's my boy!" He reached the screen door and touched the handle, and as he looked down, he froze.

"Hey, what's...uhoh." Jack looked down at where Samuel's eyes were focused and saw a small packet of C4 wedged under the threshold. It was wired to blow when the screen door opened. "When did they do that?"

"I don't know. Let's check out the front door." Carefully, Samuel backed up and off the steps. When his feet hit the ground, he and Jack hurried around to the front of the house.

Jack got on his cell phone. "Mike, it's Jack. Don't let anybody go out the back door! It's rigged to explode the second someone opens the screen...yeah, we're checking it out right now."

"It's also rigged, Jack." Samuel scurried down the front steps.

"The front door is booby trapped too." Jack swore as he looked around. They were the only two on the street for blocks. "They must have come by when we were gone. Were you guys sleeping in there, or what?" He listened to Michael and nodded. "No, Fi can stay with the kids and the women. I can take care of this." Jack broke the connection and walked with long strides to the garage. Inside, he raided the workbench and tool rack, and went outside to disable the explosives on the back door.

"Is there anything I can do," Samuel asked.

"Not really. Just stay back."

Jack knelt on the concrete steps and leaned in for a closer look. He shook his head. "Amateurs. I'll have this cut off in about 30 seconds." He picked up a pliers and moved in to work.

BOOM! The house shook from the explosion, and Jack looked up and around for the source. "What happened?"

Samuel ran to the front of the house to see, and he found the front door and porch engulfed in flames. A man in a postal uniform lay half on the porch, half on the steps, and Samuel grabbed him under the arms and pulled him onto the grass. He checked for a pulse, but the bloody mess that was the man's upper torso was enough to tell him that there was no hope. He shook his head as he gave the house a glance. The flames were aggressive, crawling up and eating the dry wood of the porch roof, licking at the windows upstairs and the eaves. He ran back to see how Jack was doing.

"You've gotta step it up there, Jack. The whole front of the house is on fire!" He looked up at the windows that looked out from the staircase landing inside. He saw the faces of Sam, Michael and Jesse looking down on him. Then he saw a wire running up the side of the wall, and it stopped just beneath the window. With his arms, he signaled them. "No, don't open that window!"

The faces disappeared and suddenly a chair crashed through the window panes. Samuel jumped out of the way to avoid being struck by it. In the same instant, the C4 under the window sill blew a huge hole in the wall and a fireball rolled up into the sky.

"Sammy!" Samuel screamed his name, his hands pressing against his head, and a sick feeling in his stomach.

To his surprise, an aluminum baseball bat poked through the smoke and ran around the hole, knocking away the charred pieces until it was a safe exit. "Jack, they're okay!" He ran to the side of the house where the hose was hooked up, turned on the spigot, and ran the hose back to the crude opening. He aimed the water at it and put out the flames enough for them to escape. "Come on! Get out of there now!" He kept the spray streaming as one by one the three men dropped down to the ground. When they were safe on solid earth, Samuel dropped the hose, strode up to his son, and got him into a vice-like embrace.

"I thought I was gonna lose you, Son."

"Are you kidding? Mike, Jesse and I would have gotten out of there just fine." Yet Sam held onto him tightly as well.

Sirens screamed down the street, and two firetrucks parked on the cross streets. Within a couple of minutes the firefighters had lines stretched and were putting water on the blaze. The exterior of the wood frame house was covered with stucco, but the old wood beneath it was like kindling for such a hot fire. The men backed away to stand in front of the garage.

"Thank God the kids are at my place," Jack whispered to Sam.

"Yeah. They must have known we didn't have them here, and they were just going to make sure we didn't make that meeting." Sam scowled, thinking. "But why would they do that? This wasn't going to get Raul his daughter back."

Jack, Michael, and Sam looked at each other. "Somehow they knew we moved the kids. I guess they weren't as amateurish as we thought."

Sam pushed through his friends and hit the garage door opener on his key fob. The door rose, and he got into his car.

"I'm going with him," Jack blurted and ran around to the passenger side.

"Samuel..." Michael began.

"I'll get my car." Samuel bolted for his house, got his car out of the garage in record time and hurried back to Sam's house to pick up Michael and Jesse. They were only a few minutes behind Sam and Jack. _Will we be too late?_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Sam broke the speed limit driving to Jack's house. Thankfully it was only a few miles away, so before a cop could even begin to follow him, he was there. As he and Jack got out of the car, they pulled their guns and raced up the driveway to the house. The side door was open, the screen ripped back so it rested against the house.

"On three," Sam said and he silently counted out on his fingers. On three, he stormed the kitchen and Jack followed close behind. Lunch preparations had been in full swing, as evidenced by the food scattered around the counter tops and floor. A kitchen towel burned on the gas stove, and Jack reached for a corner, threw it into the sink, and turned off the flame.

They listened and heard screaming coming from upstairs, followed by gunfire. Michael, Samuel and Jesse came in the front door and met them at the foot of the stairs.

"How many," Michael whispered to Sam.

Sam shook his head. Another scream sounded from above, footsteps pounded on the ceiling, and more gunfire. Sam tried to keep the worry out of his expression, but he couldn't take it any more. He took to the stairs. Jack and the others followed closely behind. Sam kept low. At the top, a short wall provided some cover until they had to go around it to the left. On the right was the master bedroom, and it was empty. As soon as Sam broke from his cover, bullets flew at him. He and Jack crouched and fired back, hitting the shooter. He was only about ten feet away, and their bullets stopped him in his tracks.

Michael and Jesse popped up over the wall, sweeping the area with their firearms. "Looks like it's clear," Michael spoke softly. In the smoky stillness, they heard the faint sound of crying. "Okay, let's move."

They formed a group and kept their backs together as they carefully closed the distance between them and the bedroom at the end of the hall. Jesse stuck his head into the first bedroom on the right. "Clear."

Next was the bathroom. "Clear," Michael announced.

As they approached the last room, the cries grew louder. _There aren't any voices. Why aren't the women saying anything?_ If he weren't on the flank of their team, he would have broken formation and run into the room by himself. He just had to be patient. They were almost there. A few more steps.

A large figure stepped out from behind the door into the opening, raised his gun, and aimed. It was Raul, wearing a smug expression as he pulled the trigger.

"Noooooooo!" A woman screamed, and a shot rang out.

Raul's face registered his shock as his body pitched forward into the hall. Michael and Jack reached him first, and they checked his pulse. "He's alive, but not for long if he doesn't get help."

"Forget that." Sam muttered as he pushed forward.

Sasha and Maddie cautiously came out of the closet with the kids. Yvette sat on the floor to the right between the bed and the wall, shaking, a handgun held loosely in her hand. She saw her father-in-law enter the room. "Samuel? Wh-where's Sam?"

"I'm right here, Eve," Sam replied and knelt down on the floor to hold her close.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Esperanza and little Samuel ran from their protectors and joined their parents in a group hug.

"Are you okay? Are you all okay?"

"We're fine, Sam." Yvette burst into tears and pressed her face into his shoulder. "I h-hate shooting people."

"You did what you had to do, babe. It's okay. You know he wouldn't have hesitated to shoot you."

"I know. He...he shot Fiona."

Sam's face turned white. He'd been so focused on his wife and family, he didn't even notice the slight figure lying on the floor between the foot of the bed and the closet.

"Fi. Fi, can you hear me?" Michael knelt beside her, gently slapping the side of her face, trying to rouse her. "Fi, please...don't do this to me."

"Yes, we've got an emergency at 1956 8th Street. A home invasion, a woman's been shot. We got the perp down," Jack reported on his cell phone. "Yeah, by the time you get here, I think he's gonna need the coroner." He listened. "Yeah, it's safe now...okay, thanks." He closed his phone and said, "Help is on the way. How bad is she, Mike?" He stood nearby, bending over to see.

"She's been shot in the leg and she's losing a lot of blood, but if I can get enough pressure on it..." Michael ground out as he pressed into her wound. She moved against him, in her unconscious state unaware that he was trying to help.

"I'll get some towels out of the bathroom," Sasha exclaimed and picked her way over the bodies in the hall. She quickly returned with some nicely embroidered towels, ignoring the fact that they would be ruined once Michael used them.

"Fiona, honey." Maddie spoke to her and held her hand. "You can't leave us. Michael needs you."

She stirred and groaned, and her eyes fluttered open as Michael wrapped her leg in a towel and twisted it to put more pressure on the wound and stop the bleeding. "Michael, that hurts," she muttered.

"I know Fi, but it's for your own good." They heard sirens. "Help is here now, Fi. Just keep hanging on, and they'll get you to the hospital and have you patched up in time for the wedding." He smiled, even as his voice cracked.

Fiona wore a soft smile despite the pain. "I wouldn't miss that for the world." Then she was out again, just as a team of paramedics came up the stairs, swinging their equipment boxes around the cramped hall.

"Folks, we're going to need some space in here."

They all filed out of the room, past the bodies of Raul and his cohort. Sam picked up Esperanza and Samuel grabbed his grandson. Sam pressed her head against his chest so she wouldn't have to see her biological father lying in his own blood, and he said a silent prayer that the kids wouldn't be negatively affected by these events.

When they emerged from the house, they found police units on the street, two ambulances, and reporters starting to hover on the fringes. This was the part Michael and his crew always tried to avoid, but when they found themselves this entrenched in the incident, there was little choice but to stick around and answer questions. Besides, once the story of how a gang leader and his girlfriend tried to threaten a good foster family and kill them by blowing up their house, not only would it make a good news story, it would certainly assure that Angela Castro would never get her child back. With Raul dead, there would be no one to contest the adoption. Not exactly how Sam would have liked to win custody, but he would take what he could get.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Ow, Michael!" Fiona cried out as Michael redressed her leg.

"Oh, don't be such a baby, Fi. Just be glad you're alive." He smiled. "I know I am."

She shook her head. "I should have shot him when I had the chance. This never would have happened. Good thing Yvette found my gun under the bed where he kicked it. Who knows, we might have been havin' a wake instead of a weddin'."

"You know, if you're in too much pain we can do this another day..."

"No!" Fiona sat up and placed a finger on Michael's lips. "I'll have plenty of time to rest up on our honeymoon in the Bahamas." She smiled, leaned forward, and kissed him until he was nearly breathless. Against his lips, she whispered, "There'll be more of that later."

"I can hardly wait." He returned the kiss with equal passion.

"Knock, knock!" The soon-to-be-newlyweds broke apart and glanced at the door with wide eyes. Yvette poked her head inside and laughed. "Oh, like I've never seen you do that before. Just do me a favor and keep your clothes on. Sam's coming with the kids." She entered the loft with a large box and a garment bag.

"What's this," Fiona asked.

"A little surprise from Sam and me to you." Yvette smiled. "Actually, Maddie and Samuel chipped in too." She set the box down at the foot of the bed and unzipped the garment bag.

"Hey, did she see it yet?" Sam came in with Esperanza and little Samuel.

Esperanza was dressed in white, her hair done up with a white crown of gardenias. Samuel wore dark pants with a blue flowered Hawaiian shirt that matched Sam's. Sam carried another garment bag over his shoulder.

As he held it up, he exclaimed with a grin, "This one's for you, Mikey!"

"The kids are so adorable," Fiona breathed. "But what did you bring me? A dress?"

"Since you were laid up and unable to shop for one, Maddie and I took a cue from the dresses you liked and found one very similar to it at Mia's. And I was able to talk her into a discount." Yvette grinned, pulled the garment bag away from the satiny off-the-shoulder dress dotted with sequins that sparkled in the early afternoon light, and presented it to her. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's gorgeous." Fiona fought the tears that sprung up.

"Hey, wait a minute, isn't it bad luck for the guy to see the dress before the wedding," Sam asked.

Fiona shrugged. "Too late now. Besides, I think I have to be in it first, Sam. Thank you, Yvette, and Sam!"

"It was our pleasure. Maddie and I had a blast searching for it." She lay the dress on the bed beside Fiona and moved to the box. "And in here, your bouquet, madame." She opened the box to reveal a large bunch of gardenias and pink tinged tiger lilies interspersed with ferns and baby's breath. It was all tied up with a dark blue satin ribbon that matched the men's shirts.

Michael was a little scared to look into his garment bag, if Sam and Samuel's shirts were any indication of what waited inside. But he slowly unzipped it and was pleased to see a dark blue suit with a light blue dress shirt that had narrow white pinstripes. A dark blue tie completed the outfit. "Sam, this is nice."

"And it's not even a rental. It's yours."

"You shouldn't have. I mean, you've got to worry about clothing your family after losing the house..."

"Don't worry about it, Mike! Grandma Axe has taken care of the kids, and well, that's what insurance is for."

"Are they actually going to accept a claim that includes willful and malicious destruction of property?"

Sam laughed. "Yeah, believe it or not. I've got some good insurance." He frowned. "Just hope we never have to use it again. We've blown up a lot of stuff, Mike, but I never in my wildest dreams would have expected to have my own house get hit. It really sucks, because we loved that house." He shrugged. "Oh well, Jack's already working on a better one."

"And until then, you're staying with Ma. Nice."

"Hey we could be living in worse places," Sam remarked as he looked around the loft with a critical eye that held a spark of teasing.

"Ha ha. You're a real comedian, Sam. I guess I better get changed, huh? If we want to get this wedding off the ground."

"Oh, you bet we do!" Yvette reached for Fiona's arm and helped her stand, then grabbed the dress. "We get first dibs on the bathroom!"

"Oh great," Sam muttered. "This wedding is supposed to be at 3! You've got an hour and a half, so step it up ladies!"

"Men," Yvette said as she and Fiona disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door.

"Okay, guess I'll get dressed upstairs."

"Sounds good. Hey kids, let's go outside for a little while, okay?" Sam took their hands and led them out the door. "Be back in about ten minutes?"

"That'll be plenty of time, Sam. Thanks!"

"Any time, brother." He grinned and walked out the door with the kids.

Michael and Fiona were married under a canopy of live oaks in a park near the river. Sam and Yvette were their best man and matron-of-honor. Esperanza and little Samuel were part of the wedding party, keeping their rings safe until Pastor Tom asked for them. All around them were their friends and family, Maddie and Samuel, Jack and Sasha, and Pam. Jesse would have been the odd man out, but he brought a date. Like Sam and Yvette, they had the after-wedding party at Carlito's, and before long they were whisked away in Nate's rented limousine, heading to the airport.

Instead of rice, they threw bird seed at the couple, and Sam grabbed a handful, aiming right at Michael, laughing at his rolling eyed expression as he ducked into the car. The car pulled away, and they waved and wished them good luck until Nate turned onto the main street.

"That was a beautiful wedding," Maddie sniffled. "I can't believe that Michael is finally married!"

"Yeah, it's about time," Sam agreed. "Just hope they survive the honeymoon." He laughed, the motion bouncing little Samuel's head as he slept on his father's shoulder. "We better get the kids home, Maddie, and get them to bed."

"I'm not tired, Daddy," Esperanza said even as she fought a yawn and rubbed her eyes.

"It's past your bedtime, young lady," Yvette said, backing up her husband. "Besides, tomorrow we're going to Disney World with Grandma and Grandpa Axe. Mickey isn't going to want to see you tired and cranky."

That was all Esperanza needed to hear. "Oh boy, I wanna go home now, Mama! The sooner we get to bed, the sooner we can get up to go to Dizzy World!" She skipped toward the car, and it was all Sam and Yvette could do to keep from laughing.

"It's going to be an interesting trip, Son."

"I can hardly wait. You know we had to get special permission to take Espie out of town?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, after what happened, I had to do some fast talking to convince Melanie to let her stay with us! Never mind taking her on a trip!" He paused and set Samuel in his car seat, buckling him in, and stood outside the car. "I think they understood how important it was to get her away from Miami, and all this...chaos...for awhile."

"Did the police ever catch Angela?"

"No. She's just gone off the grid, but there's an APB out on her. Most likely she's still around town, because they figure she doesn't have the means to go anywhere." Sam shrugged. "I just know getting out of here for awhile might be a good thing."

"Yeah. Well, we'll see you at the house."

"Thanks, Dad, for putting us up. It could take several months to rebuild."  
>"That's okay. We're family, and family sticks together." He clapped a hand on his son's shoulder.<p>

"They sure do, Dad." Sam got in the car, started it, and drove out of the parking lot, thinking about how in a few short months they would have a new home and a new daughter, for real. He glanced in the rearview mirror and spied Esperanza drifting off to sleep, slumped to the side, the seatbelt crossed over her chest, keeping her from falling over. The sight made his heart skip a beat. He was so glad they'd taken her in and saved her from an uncertain future with a drug addict mother. He suspected that things would only get better from here on out, and they would have many years together as a family.

When he was single and on the prowl, Sam never would have thought he could be this happy. Now, he couldn't imagine existing without his family. He was hopelessly in love...and hopeful about the future.


End file.
